Device for suspending an electrical conductor from a carrying cable

ABSTRACT

A connecting dropper provides a mechanical articulated and electrical linkage between a carrying cable and a conductor, particularly a contact wire of an overhead electrical traction line. The dropper wire provides a continuous electrical connection between the carrying cable and the contact wire. The dropper wire (14) is connected to respective connecting clips (18,18&#39;) providing the connection to the carrying cable (10) and the contact wire (12) via sleeves (20,20&#39;;32,32&#39;) in which the ends of the dropper wire are pinched, and the connecting clips (18,18&#39;) consist of two detachable parts that are snapped together to grip the carrying cable (10) and the contact wire (12) respectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for hanging an electricconductor from a carrying cable. The invention refers more specificallyto such a device which is known as a dropper making it possible toproduce an articulated mechanical and electrical link between aconductor such as especially the contact wire of an overhead line forelectric traction and its carrying cable. It is known that in such asystem the dropper supports the contact wire and also provides theelectrical continuity between the carrying cable and this contact wire.

2. Summary of the Prior Art

Droppers allowing such a mechanical and electrical link to be achievedare already known, but these known droppers are not entirelysatisfactory especially as regards the methods of securing the droppercable to the clamping systems employed to hold the dropper between thecarrying cable and the contact wire. These known systems especially havethe drawback of leading to the formation of electric arcs at the variouslinking members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes to provide a dropper which makes itpossible to avoid the formation of electric arcs and to dispense withthe electric distribution assemblies, the dropper simultaneouslyfulfilling an articulated mechanical function of supporting the contactwire, and an electrical-supply function.

As a consequence, the invention provides a dropper providing thearticulated mechanical and electrical link between a carrying cable anda conductor, more particularly the contact wire of an overhead line forelectric traction, in which dropper the dropper cable provides theelectrical continuity between the carrying cable and the contact wire,this dropper being characterized in that the connection between itscable and the clamps for connection respectively to the carrying cableand to the contact wire is achieved by means of terminators in which theends of the dropper cable are crimped, and in that the said connectionclamps are produced in two removable parts which snap-fasten together toclamp the carrying cable and the contact wire respectively.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the droppercable is continuous: it directly connects the connection clamps to whichits respective ends are crimped, intermediate eye stiffeners, alsocrimped to the dropper cable at points chosen as a function of thelength of the dropper coming into engagement in said connection clampsin order to form with the dropper cable loops of adjustable lengthswhich additionally allow the length of the dropper to be adapted topreestablished drop values.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the droppercable is discontinuous: its two ends are respectively crimped onterminators secured to eye stiffeners which engage in the connectionclamps, and conductors, the ends of which are respectively crimped onthe said clamps and on the said eye stiffeners providing the electricallink via the dropper cable, between the carrying cable and the contactwire.

According to a preferred embodiment, each of the connection clampsconsists of two similar elements which snap-fasten together, each of thesaid elements including a base and a hook element which is provided onits internal face with a profiled plane surface which uponsnap-fastening interacts with the corresponding surface of the similarhook element provided on the second element of the clamp, so as toconstitute an eye in which the eye stiffener crimped on the droppercable becomes engaged, the respective lower parts of the two clampelements delimiting a groove in which the contact wire or the carryingcable becomes engaged when the two elements are snap-fastened, thusclamping the contact wire or the carrying cable in the correspondingclamp, without having to resort to an independent mounting means,especially clamping using nuts and bolts.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will emergefrom the description given hereafter with reference to the appendeddrawings which illustrate various embodiments thereof, without havingany restrictive nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a first embodiment (continuousembodiment) of a dropper according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation representing the link between thedropper cable according to FIG. 1 and the carrying cable;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 representing the link between thedropper cable according to FIG. 1 and the contact wire;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively front elevations of embodiments of oneof the elements constituting a connection clamp for the dropperaccording to the present invention, these various figures being onlarger scales by comparison with the preceding figures;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a second embodiment (discontinuousembodiment) of the dropper according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8; is a side elevation of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As has already been specified, the dropper according to the presentinvention is designed and produced in such a way as to dispense with theelectrical distribution assemblies by fulfilling both the mechanicalfunction and the electrical-supply function. In such a dropper, thelinks between the various elements are achieved without having to resortto independent mounting, especially clamping using nuts and bolts.

As was mentioned in the preamble of the present description, theinvention anticipates two main embodiments: the so-called continuoussolution in which the dropper cable alone fulfils the two functionsmentioned hereinabove, and the discontinuous solution in which two otherconducting cables are associated with the dropper cable in order tofulfil the two abovementioned functions.

The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In these figures, the reference 10 denotes the carrying cable of anoverhead line for electric traction to which the invention preferablyapplies, and the reference 12 denotes the contact wire of this line. Inthis first solution, the dropper cable 14 provides the mechanicalsupport for the contact wire 12 with respect to the carrying cable 10and the electrical continuity between these two conductors.

18 and 18' represent the clamps for connecting the dropper to thecarrying cable 10 and to the contact wire 12 respectively. Theseconnection clamps will be described in greater detail below withreference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

Each of the ends of the dropper cable 14 is held by crimping in aterminator 16,16' integral with each connecting clamp 18,18' as clearlyvisible in FIG. 1.

In order to be able to set (at the workshop) the distance between thecarrying cable 10 and the contact wire 12 as desired depending on thepre-established drop values, the dropper cable 14 has loops, the lengthof which may be adjustable at each of its ends, as clearly visible inFIG. 1. These loops are obtained by providing eye stiffeners 20, 20',the ends of which are respectively crimped at given points along thecable 14 which depend on the desired length of dropper, the other endsof these eye stiffeners being in the form of eyes 22,22' which areengaged in the connection clamps 18,18' in the way described hereafterwith reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

It will be observed that this first embodiment indeed fulfils the dualfunction mentioned hereinabove, using a dropper cable, the links beingachieved without calling upon independent mounting, especially such asclamping using nuts and bolts.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5 which represent in detail theelements of one embodiment of a connection clamp 18,18' which achievesthe link between the dropper cable 14 on the one hand, and the carryingcable 10, as far as the connection clamp 18 is concerned, and thecontact wire 12, as far as the connection clamp 18' is concerned.

As was mentioned in the foregoing description, each connection clampcomprises two similar elements designed to snap-fasten together asvisible in FIG. 1. Each connection clamp element 18,18' thereforeincludes a base 24 and a hook element 26 provided on its internal facewith a profiled plane surface 28 intended to interact with thecorresponding surface of the similar hook element which is provided onthe second element of the connection clamp 18,18' so as to form an eyein which the eye 22 or 22' of the eye stiffeners 20 or 20' describedabove can engage, as clearly visible in FIGS. 2 or 3. The snap-fasteningof the two connection clamp elements 18,18' takes place when clampingonto the corresponding cable, the carrying cable 10 or contact wire 12,the latter engaging in the housing delimited by the groove 30 in each ofthe connection clamp elements.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 and 8 which illustrate the secondembodiment of the invention (discontinuous embodiment).

The dropper cable 14 has ends which are crimped to terminators 32,32'respectively, these terminators being integral with an eye stiffener34,34' respectively having an eye which engages in the connection clamps18,18'. In order to provide electrical continuity between the carryingcable 10 and the contact wire 12, conducting cables such as 36,36' areprovided, the respective ends of these being rendered integral with theeye stiffener 34,34' respectively and with the connection clamp 18,18'respectively.

One of the ends of each conducting cable 36,36' is crimped into ahousing 38,38' integral with the connection clamp 18,18' and its otherend is held by crimping in a housing 40,40' integral respectively withan eye stiffener 34,34' respectively.

In this embodiment, the connection clamps 18,18' have the sameconstruction as the one described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 4and 6. The choice of length of dropper cable 14 makes it possible toalter the distance between the carrying cable 10 and the contact wire12.

Like the first embodiment described hereinabove with reference to FIGS.1 to 3, this second embodiment fulfils both the mechanical function ofsupporting the contact line and the electrical-supply function, thelinks between the various elements of the dropper being obtained withoutcalling upon an independent mounting such as especially clamping usingnuts and bolts.

The first embodiment (continuous solution) allows droppers to be made upin the workshop at mass-production costs from pre-established dropvalues, the lengths of the dropper cables 14 being set in the factory,while the second embodiment is further adapted for being put together onsite for customized applications.

It remains clearly understood that the present invention is not limitedto the embodiments described and/or represented hereinabove, but that itencompasses all alternative forms thereof.

I claim:
 1. A dropper providing for an articulated mechanical andelectrical link between a carrying cable and a contact wire of anoverhead line for electric traction, said dropper comprising a droppercable which provides electrical continuity between the carrying cableand the contact wire, the dropper cable being connected to clamps forconnection respectively to the carrying cable and to the contact wire bymeans of terminators in which the ends of the dropper cable are crimped,wherein the said clamps are made of two removable parts which can besnap-fastened together to clamp the carrying cable and the contact wirerespectively and wherein the dropper cable is discontinuous and includesa dropper cable portion with ends that are respectively crimped to saidterminators secured to eye stiffener engaged in the connection clampsand conducting cables which are respectively crimped in housing integralwith said clamps and on said eye stiffeners, thereby providing anelectrical link via the dropper cable portion, between the carryingcable and the contact wire.
 2. The dropper according to claim 1 whereineach of the two removable parts are similar elements which snap-fastentogether, each of the said elements including a base and a hook elementwhich is provided on an internal face having a profiled plane surfacewhich, upon snap-fastening, interacts with the corresponding surface ofthe similar hook element provided on a second said element of the clamp,so as to constitute an eye in which the eye stiffener crimped on thedropper cable becomes engaged, respective lower parts of the two clampelements delimiting a groove in which the contact wire or the carryingcable becomes engaged when the two elements are snap-fastened, thusclamping the contact wire or the carrying cable in the correspondingclamp.
 3. A dropper providing for an articulated mechanical andelectrical link between a carrying cable and a contact wire of anoverhead line for electric traction, the dropper comprising a droppercable which provides electrical continuity between the carrying cableand the contact wire, the dropper cable being connected to clamps forconnection respectively to the carrying cable and to the contact wire bymeans of terminators in which ends of the dropper cable are crimped,wherein said clamps are made of two removable parts which can besnap-fastened together to clamp the carrying cable and the contact wirerespectively and wherein each of the two removable parts are similarelements which snap-fasten together, each of the said elements includinga base and a hook element which is provided on an internal face having aprofiled plane surface which, upon snap-fastening, interacts with thecorresponding surface of the similar hook element provided on a secondsaid element of the clamp, so as to constitute an eye in which an eyestiffener crimped on the dropper cable becomes engaged, respective lowerparts of the two clamp elements delimiting a groove in which the contactwire or the carrying cable becomes engaged when the two elements aresnap-fastened, thus clamping the contact wire or the carrying cable inthe corresponding clamp.